Easy Chicken House Plans

Backyard Chickens Disease

Breeding Chickens- Information That Is Important to Know

A Poultry breeder is a person who attempts to improve the breeds of chicken flock. The process of doing it can be described as breeding chickens. Anyone can breed the chicken with a little training. You will be glad when you try and succeed in chicken breeding. Any poultry breeder can only achieve this by selecting parent stock carefully. He or she must keep all records at hand and reach a conclusion using his practical knowledge.

The cost of selecting breeds using laboratory techniques can be afforded only by few of America's large breeders. It is a rather expensive procedure. Even those who can afford it end up going wrong at times when they push their luck too far. Small breeders on the other hand only work with their own experience and knowledge. There are too many characteristics one needs to consider while selecting. These include the disease resistance, vigor, rear ability, hatchability, and egg production.

Other factors are quick feathering, shell color and texture, egg size, depth and color of plumage, body shape and size. However, the latter might not be as important to the intensive producers of eggs. Since the extent of egg production is on the rise today, any breeder will consider this as an important trait. Breeding chickens or retaining vigor would be more important than any other trait, without which other traits stand insignificant.

There was a time when all breeders thought that it was enough if the best cockerels were put with the best hens together. It was all that was required for good breeding. It was considered as equal mixing that of bloodlines. However, this was not true. In case this is too complicated, you could refer to breeding books by specialists that deal extensively on this subject. We provide basic information in this article that any amateur breeder needs to consider before any breeding activity.

Mating Chickens

Until pullets are a minimum of 18 weeks, and males are as young as minimum of 24 weeks of age, cockerels must not be introduced. The act of mating is a procedure where the semen from the reproductive cells of a cockerel is generally ejaculated in the cloacae of the hen. Semen travels through the oviduct up to meet the egg yolk also known as ovum as soon as it leaves the ovary. In one mating session, the semen released is good enough to fertilize about 12 to 14 eggs. A young cockerel vigorously covers around 80 hens in a flock at one time, although this is not what is recommended as a standard procedure.

When breeding chickens outdoors, one cockerel is good enough for 25 birds. For example in a flock of 100 hens you could introduce around 5 to 6 cockerels. It is advisable to put together those who have been reared at the same time. Do not add any cockerels later as this might lead to loss such as they would be either attacked or killed. It is advisable to start the pen with an extra or two cockerels. This would mean a successful breeding season in spite of losing a cockerel or two if at all so.

About the Author

G. Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from feeding chickens to professional basketball. Thanks for reading!

Caring for a rabbit while my friend's away, any ideas with things to keep him from being bored?

He is a cute little sable minilop, and my friend's away on holiday. I have had rabbits before, but I used to let them out for a run in the backyard to keep the boredom away. I can't with this rabbit because I recently got chickens. I've heard the chickens can give a fatal disease to rabbits, and because the chickens run around in the backyard I can't let my friend's rabbit out. I bring him into the house sometimes, but he just sits under the sofa and thumps his foot. I tried to take him for a walk on a harness but he has so much energy I can't keep up with him. Help, please?
Lizz K I don't have patience for people like you. To all the other people, I know how to care for a rabbit (I owned two for years) but this time I just need ideas for like homemade toys or something!

I have a pet rabbit and he loves when i do the following:
-Put hay in a paper bag, And put it in the cage.
-Put hay in a toilet paper roll
-Toilet paper rolls

Pretty much anything that is an obstacle for them, Make sure its not that hard for them!
Hope i helped!!
Good luck

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